boggs



AHPARATUS FOR SEPARATING'ORES FROM GANGUE.

APPLICATION HLED .IULY12, I918.

Patented Dec. 16, 19.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Tn .1 l ,VN I Q\ WV IVN Q\ mm NM hm S QM U I? v mm 6 w dmE n mm v INVENTOR WITNESSES S. L. BOGGS.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING ORES FROM GANGUEi APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 191B.-

1 324,79 1 Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES v INVENTOR UNIT D. STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL L. noses, or IvANieroE, VIRGINIA.

APPAR ATUS FQR SEPARATINGORES FROM GANGUE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 16, 1919,

, Application filed July 12, 1918. Serial No. 244,560.

To all whom z'tmag concern: V Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. Boees, a resident of Ivanhoe, i the State of V1rg1n1a,

-have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ap paratus for Separating Ores from Gangue, of which the following is a specification,

This invention relates to apparatus for separating ores from gangue, etc. More broadly it relates to flotation apparatus for effecting separating of granular materials of 3 different specific gravity, which maybe ores and gangue, or merely loose mixtures of different materials,;from any source.

vide an apparatus into which the mixture to be separated may be constantly fed, at a uniform rate, there exposed to continuous agi- I of differentspecific gravity, and continu-b vously withdrawn from the apparatus.

. the 'fOllOWiHg specification.

vtation in a suitable flotation compound, and

the solidv material graded into two classes --gitudinalpartition 7 seated upon the operating bottom 6, and extending only a part of the length of the tank, as shown in Fig. 1.

Near the end 3 of the maintank is a transverse partition, composed of slidingvertical doors 8 and 9, mounted in grooved supports 10 and 11 fixed on the interior of side walls 1 and 2, respectively, and an intermediate supporting post 12. This post12 also has a notched guide-way in which a door 13, parallel tothe side walls of the main tank is mounted. The other side of the dooris en-,

gaged by a guide-way 14, mounted on the l v end of longitudinal vertical partition 7. On

the inside of walls 1 and 2 are fixed vertical baffle ates 15 and 16 respectively. Similar and oppositely disposedbaffle plates 17 are attachedto' the middle partition 7 ,the details of these bafiies'being clearly shown in Fi '.-1 and 2."

hafts 18 and are mounted in suitable The objects ,of theinvention are to probearings in the end walls 3 and 4, and extend longitudinally throughout the tank, midway between the dividing partitions and the side walls thereof. These shafts are drivenby a motor M, which is suitably connected by chains 20 and 21 to said shafts. A clutch be understood that any suitable driving I 22, operated by a hand. lever 23, is provided means may be used, and that such means a and its connection are vention.

Mounted on shafts 18 and 19 are a series of paddles 24 and 25, respectively.- These not a part of my inpaddles are set at an angle of about 37 to a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, and the paddles 24 on shaft 18 are set so that as that shaft is rotated counter-clockwise, considered from the end 3 of the tank, liquid in the compartment A between the partition 7 and the wall 1 will be driven from the end 3 toward the end 4 thereof.

The paddles 25. on the shaft 19 are inclinedin an opposite direction, so that as that shaft is likewise rotated counter-clockwise, liquid in the compartment B between the wall 2 and the middle partition will be driven from the end 4 toward the end 3. This flowis indicated by arrows on the drawing.

It'will be seen thatthree of the paddles I are set comparatively close'together at the driven end of the shaft 18, and two paddles close together at the opposite end of that shaft, similarly and at the corresponding' end of shaft 19. The purpose of this arrangement will be set forth more fully below. A chain 26 connected to one of the shafts above'referred to, drives, by-suitable connections, such as gears 27 and 28, and chains 29 and 30, two shafts 31 and 32, upon which are mounted screw conveyers 33 and 34, shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. These conveyers are of standard type and detailed description is unnecessary. Theyform only anelement of my eombination, and are not claimed otherwise as a part'of my invention.

These conveyers are inclosed by circular casings ,35 and 36, respectively, which extend from the side wall 1 of the tank to a pointabove the normal water lever in the apparatus. The conveyers are inclined at an angle, as shown in Fig. 3. -At the outer "paddle veyer 34 extends into a compartment C formed by transverse dividing walls39 and l0, extending from the bottom of the tank and from side to side thereof, up to, and supporting the false bottom 6, above referred to. The partition, or false bottom 6, has a transverse o ening 4E1 therethrough,

as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The gate 9,

above referred to, is divided horizontally at about its middle point, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the lower half being marked 9*.

A horizontal dividing partition 42 is provided, and it is adapted to seat on the supporting brackets 43, as shownin Figs. 1, 3, and 4c, forming an upper compartment E and a lower compartment D.

A chute, or hopperat, is provided to feed ratus.

a the material to be separated to the appamainder of the tank, except for the connection therebetween caused by the removal of the door 9. Normally the false bottom 42 is not used, so that D and E form a single compartment, a

Granular divided material, such as ore and gangue or other mixtures of finely divided materials of different specific gravities, is fed into the apparatus from the 'hopper 44. A suitable element such as oil,

wood sulfite liquor, etc., is mixed with the water to cause a froth to be formed thereon.

rate, causing The paddle wheels are driven" at a rapid a violent agitation of the liquid mixture, resulting in a thick froth on top, violentswirling and moving currents of water about the paddle wheels, and a more quiet condition thereof on the surface, just under the froth. The heavier particles of the mixture will tend to drop below the wheels and cooperating baflle plates,

and to settle into the quieter water at the bottom of the tank. The lighter particles in tion.

the mixture will be constantly picked up from this bottom recess, caught in the vio- .lent currents surrounding the paddle wheels, and will tend to be'thrown out of the most active currents into the comparatively smoother portions on the surface of the water beneath the froth. Tn this position they will be gradually picked up, held and carried on by the froth on top of-the solu- Therefore, a separation will take place, at the a 19-, the separation will be complete.

the heavier particles being gathered bottom of the tank, and the lighter r particles in the froth at the top. The inclination of the two series of paddles will cause the whole contents of the tank to flow slowly around in the direction indicated by the arrows. At the endof the partition 7 the mixture will be driven across to the other side or" the tank and then driven in the opposite direction by shaft 19 and its paddle 25. During all of this progress around the tank the separation of particles of difi'erent specific gravities as above set forth will be carried on and completed.

The size of the tank, the number, inclination and speed of the paddles will be so chosen and adjusted, wlth respect to the mixture to be separated, that by the time it has been carried from a point beneath the supply hopper to the last paddle on shaft sequently, the heavy par'ticles on the bottom will settle through the port 411 into the com partment 38, and be carried therefrom by the screw conveyor 34, and discharged into any suitable receptacle. The lighter particles, held in the froth on the top of the tank, will pass over the partition 9, and into the compartment E, where they will gradually settle to theb ottom of compartment D and be carried oil by screw conveyer 33 and discharged through spout 37' to a suitable receptacle.

In certain cases it may be desirable to place the false'bottom 42 in position on the supports 43, as indicated by dotted line in Fig. 4, separating compartments D and E, and to simplygather the froth in the top compartment E, without allowing any material to settle to the bottom 1). This, however, is a modification of the process, and like various other modifications, it may be employed according to the particular circumstances.

Also, the gate 13 may be opened, to permil; a continuous travel of the liquid around the tank, without any passage into the top of compartment 45, simply drawing ofi the heavy particles by port 41.

A pipe 46 for supply water to the apparatus, and another pipe 4:7 for drawing it ofi are provided, and may be connected at any suitable places.

ings, andmechanical attachments requisite for the most eficient operation of the various shafts, doors, power connections, etc., will be provided, and that the drawings herewith are largely diagrammatic in character, and not'intended to limit theconstruction of the actual apparatus in so far as actual details are concerned. It is intended merely to illustrate the general principles, and the essential claimed features of construction and operation in the present case.

ll claim:

1. Apparatus for separating mixtures of Con- different specific having a central tition provided with a gap at one end, two horizontal shafts located at opposite sides of said partition, paddles on said shafts adapted to agitate a mixture of water and material to be separated and to cause it to flow continuously around the end of the partition. means to drive said shafts, means to supply material to the tank on one side of the partition and at the end opposite the gap in the partition, and means to draw off the lighter material from the top and the heavier material from the bottom at the end of the tank opposite the gap in the partition, and on the opposite side of the partition from that where the material is introduced into the tank. I

:2. Apparatus for separating mixtures of different specific gravities, comprising a tank, two horizontal shafts therethrongh, means to drive the shafts. oppositely disposed paddles on the shafts. a dividing partition in the tank between the shafts, said partition having a gap at each end, a gate inclosing the gap at one end of the partition.

gravity, comprising a tank and a draw-off opening in the bottom of the tank on one side of said gate.

3. Apparatus for separating solid materials in granular form of different specific gravities. comprising a tank adapted to contain a liquid. shafts extendin throughout the tank, paddles on said shat ts adapted longitudinal dividing parto cause the liquid to flow from end to end of the shaft, a vertical partition in the tank between the shafts, an opening through said partition, baflles on the sides of the tank and on the said partition between said paddles, an opening in the bottom of the tank at the end of the cycle, a chamber beneath said opening, an endless conveyer leading into said chamber and having its other end raised to a pointabove the water level of the tank, an overflow compartment connected to the tank, an endless conveyer leading into the bottom of the overflow'comp'artment and having its other end raised above the water line of the main tank, and means to drive the paddle shafts and conveyers.

4. Apparatus for separating materials ofmy hand.

SAMUEL L. BOGGS. Witness:

Jo. BAILY Bnown. 

